Himalayan rabbits have completely white bodies, red eyes, and darker extremities. They are smaller in size, so not suitable for commercial rabbit farming purpose. Himalayan rabbitâs color is susceptible to change based upon temperature. The markings change with age and environment. And it is one of the earliest rabbit breeds recognized in the United States. The markings change with age and environment. We must now briefly consider the extent to which more general factors of the environment, temperature, light and so on, affect development. A well known case of environmental control of genetics is provided by the development of fur color in the Himalayan rabbit has a white body with black ears, nose, feet and tail. Then there are the variations with the B gene (chocolate) and the D gene (dilute). The Himalayan has short, fine hair and a smooth, soft coat. Chocolate and lilac varieties are also available. They need very little grooming. ARBA Guidebook: Raising Better Rabbits and Cavies, American Himalayan Rabbit Association Breed History, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Himalayan_rabbit&oldid=983506006, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Himalayans are the only breed posed stretched out (cylindrical), Himalayans are a common youth breed because of their good temperament. They love company and being with humans if they have been allowed to get used to be with humans form an early age. The Himalayan rabbit is one of the oldest rabbit breeds, so much so that its origin has practically been lost in history. Himalayan rabbit is one of the very old rabbit breeds that remains so unique today. This affect is most easily seen in the Himalayan. A rabbit kit (baby) that is exposed to as little as 20 minutes of cold will develop darker fur. Since the ears and feet of a Himalayan rabbit are colder they are generally black in color. The Himalayan rabbit is mainly raised as pets or for showing purpose. The babies are of white or pale grey color when born, and the coloring starts to appear at about 4 weeks. When Himalayans are raised in cold climates, they can exhibit black coloration of their coats, making them a phenocopy of the black rabbit. European Himalayans and American Himalayans have different poses. It has a white body, colored ears, nose and legs. They will be very happy if you give them some noisy toys. Himalayan rabbits carry a gene that is inactive above 35 °C, and it is most active from 15 °C to 25 °C. The original variety was the black Himalayan, and the blue Himalayan was created later. And the Californians are much bulkier and heavier than the Himalayans. Himalayans are also known as the Chinese, Egyptian, and Black-nose. Himalayan rabbits are born white or pale grey; the colouring starts to appear at about 4 weeks and develops fully over the first 6 months. H45). If the markings spread into the usable portion of the pelt, such as into the belly or on the pin bones, it is a disqualification. This varies from looking to off-white to looking chinchilla-colored, and it causes confusion among many novice breeders. This breed's main purpose is for show, but in its past, it was raised for its white pelt. Their head is long and slim, with short, tapering, upright ears. The colder weather may darken markings, enlarge markings, and also add markings around the eyes and genitals (vent smut). [3] They have fine bone and a skinny body, and, unlike many other breeds, were never raised primarily for meat. The mutated enzyme is thermolabile; it fails to work at normal body temperatures, but becomes active in cooler areas of the skin. The chocolate and lilac varieties were made by different crosses depending on where they originated. Results show that Himalayan tyrosinase is maximally active at temperatures well below normal body temperature (15°C to 25°C). 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